Passiata di San Diodoro
The 12.8 km race that has been the heart of the San Marco dei Cavoti patronal feast since 1974
About Passiata di San Diodoro
Half a century of running in the Sannio
The Passiata di San Diodoro is one of the longest-running running events in Campania: it has been held in San Marco dei Cavoti, in the province of Benevento, without interruption since 1974. The idea was born during a meeting at the Pro Loco headquarters in the very same Piazza Risorgimento that still hosts the start and finish lines today. It was the president at the time, Diodoro Li Nuci, who named it after the town's patron saint, Saint Diodorus the Martyr. Since then, the race has taken place every year on the second Sunday of September, coinciding with the patronal festivities, reaching its 52nd edition in 2026.
A challenging 12.8 km course
The track measures 12.8 kilometers and offers no respite. It begins with a gentle descent of about one and a half kilometers to the Flying Finish, followed by the climb towards Toppo Iapopolo, at an altitude of 706 meters, where the first refreshment station is located. A long, flat stretch of about two kilometers follows along via Sole Bianco, before the decisive passage: the famous Sole Bianco wall, three hundred meters with a gradient reaching 15%, immediately after which the second refreshment station is found. The final section flattens out, allowing athletes to pick up the pace towards the finish. The organizers provide the .gpx track, map, and elevation profile on the official website so that the race can be studied in advance.
Three races in one afternoon
- Competitive running race (12.8 km): reserved for athletes born in 2008 or earlier, registered with FIDAL or equivalent sports promotion bodies, with a valid competitive medical certificate.
- Amateur Passiata (12.8 km): open to all ages, with no registration or certificate required; this is the formula that gives the event its name and preserves its popular spirit.
- Mini Passiata (400 meters): dedicated to children aged 5 to 12, with a participation medal for everyone.
Awards are given to the top five men and women in the overall standings, category winners, the top three men and women residents in the amateur race, and the largest sports clubs (25 athletes or more), which receive prizes of 200, 150, and 100 euros.
The race pack and Sannio products
One of the hallmarks of the Passiata is the race pack: the first 600 athletes to finish within the 2-hour and 15-minute time limit receive event gadgets and a selection of typical Sannio products. This is a deliberate identity-driven choice by the organizers, who aim to link the healthy values of sport with the food and wine excellence of the Benevento area. Even the race bib has become a collector's item, with technical graphics unveiled shortly before the race.
In the heart of the patronal feast
The race does not exist in isolation: it is part of the festivities in honor of Saint Diodorus the Martyr, which enliven the historic center with music, stalls, and religious events. The association behind the Passiata also organizes side initiatives such as the Crocco trek, a walking excursion through the local countryside. The result is a Sunday in September when the town fills with athletes from all over Campania and neighboring regions, with the public crowding the streets and the speaker's voice accompanying the runners to the very last meter.
San Marco dei Cavoti, the town of croccantino
A medieval village of Provençal origin overlooking the Sannio Apennines, San Marco dei Cavoti is known throughout Italy for the centuries-old production of croccantino and torrone, celebrated in December with a dedicated festival. The municipality, in the Campania Region, preserves a compact urban fabric, the tower clock museum, and a landscape of ridges and valleys that is an integral part of the difficulty — and charm — of the Passiata course. Running here means crossing a piece of authentic Sannio, far from the most beaten tourist paths.
Passiata di San Diodoro — edition 2026
52nd edition: Sunday, September 13, 2026
The official website of the event has confirmed the date of the 52nd Passiata di San Diodoro: Sunday, September 13, 2026, in San Marco dei Cavoti, in the province of Benevento. The headquarters remains Piazza Risorgimento, where bib pickup, starts, finishes, and awards ceremonies are concentrated.
The day opens in the morning with bib pickup for the competitive race and registration for the Mini Passiata, continues in the early afternoon with a second window for bibs, and culminates with the two starts: at 3:30 PM, the children of the Mini Passiata on the 400-meter course, and at 4:20 PM, the main group of the Passiata on the 12.8-kilometer course. The awards ceremony at 6:00 PM concludes the afternoon.
The course is the classic one, with the initial descent towards the Flying Finish, the climb to Toppo Iapopolo, the via Sole Bianco plateau, and then the Sole Bianco wall, three hundred meters of gradient up to 15% that decide the race every year. Two refreshment stations assist the athletes, the first at Toppo Iapopolo and the second immediately after the wall. The first 600 finishers within 2 hours and 15 minutes receive the race pack with gadgets and typical Sannio products.
Registration for the competitive race closes on September 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM on icron.it; for the amateur Passiata, you can apply on passiata.it until 11:59 PM on September 12, or directly in the square on the day of the race for an extra fee.
Programme Passiata di San Diodoro 2026
Sunday, September 13, 2026 — Piazza Risorgimento, San Marco dei Cavoti
- 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM — Competitive race bib pickup
- 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM — Mini Passiata registration
- 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM — Second bib pickup window
- 3:30 PM — Mini Passiata start (400 meters, children aged 5-12)
- 4:20 PM — Start of the 52nd Passiata di San Diodoro, 12.8 km (competitive and amateur races together)
- 6:00 PM — Awards ceremony
On the course
- First refreshment station at Toppo Iapopolo (706m altitude)
- Second refreshment station immediately after the Sole Bianco wall
- Time limit for race pack: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Registration deadlines
- Competitive race: September 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM on icron.it
- Amateur Passiata: September 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM on passiata.it, or on-site until 1:00 PM on race day with an extra fee
- Mini Passiata: On-site only, in Piazza Risorgimento
Highlights Passiata di San Diodoro 2026
- 52nd edition of one of the longest-running races in Campania, held since 1974
- The Sole Bianco wall: 300 meters with a gradient reaching 15%
- The climb to Toppo Iapopolo (706m altitude) with the first refreshment station
- Race pack with typical Sannio products for the first 600 finishers within 2 hours and 15 minutes
- 400-meter Mini Passiata for children aged 5-12, with medals for all
- Prizes for sports clubs with at least 25 athletes: 200, 150, and 100 euros
- .gpx track, map, and elevation profile downloadable from the official website
Prices Passiata di San Diodoro 2026
Practical information — Passiata di San Diodoro
How to get there
San Marco dei Cavoti can be reached by car via the SS 212 of Val Fortore: it is about 35 km from Benevento, just over forty minutes by road. Those traveling by train should get off at Benevento Centrale station and continue with bus connections towards Val Fortore. The most convenient airports are Naples Capodichino (about 100 km) and Bari (about 170 km).
Start, finish, and bib pickup
Everything revolves around Piazza Risorgimento, in the center of the town: this is where bibs are picked up, where the races start and finish, and where the awards ceremonies take place. In 2025, the start of the Mini Passiata was set at Largo Ariella.
Registration
For the competitive race, registration is done on icron.it; for the amateur Passiata, on the official website passiata.it, with the possibility of registering on the day of the race for an extra fee. The Mini Passiata is registered exclusively on-site.
Tips
The Sole Bianco wall requires careful effort management: those without specific uphill training should start cautiously. September in Val Fortore can still be hot in the early afternoon, so it is useful to hydrate before the start. Two refreshment points are active along the route, along with medical assistance from the Misericordia volunteers.
Contacts
Information at [email protected], on the website passiata.it, and on the event's social channels (Instagram @passiata_sd).
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Where does it take place — Passiata di San Diodoro
Piazza Risorgimento
Piazza Risorgimento, 82029 San Marco dei Cavoti